Each day during spring training for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Pirates Breakdown will give you game recaps, news updates, and video of player and coach interviews, highlights, and more from the day.
Today, the Pittsburgh Pirates got shutout by the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland, Florida 3-0. Jeff Locke made his third start of the spring, and Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer were joined in the lineup by much of the expected Opening Day bench and some of the players on the bubble to make the roster.
Here are some brief highlights from today’s game:
Here are some post-game comments from Michael Morse and Jeff Locke:
With today’s loss, the Pirates fall to 3-8 in Grapefruit League action. They have 19 exhibition games remaining before the regular season opener at home on April 3rd against the St. Louis Cardinals. As recent trends indicate, Clint Hurdle and the Pirates are starting to shift towards playing members of the expected Opening Day roster more and more. Jeff Locke threw 64 pitches and worked four innings, striking out five and walking one.
The Tigers opened the scoring when Ian Kinsler stole third and scored on an errant Chris Stewart throw into left field. It was the type of throw Jung Ho Kang or newcomer David Freese would be expected to handle, but Max Moroff let it skip past. It turns out that would be all Mike Pelfrey would need to pick up the win in five shutout innings. Locke would go on to retire the next ten batters before J.D. Martinez drove a pitch over the left field wall to make it 2-0. The Tigers got one more off of reliever Curtis Partch in the eighth.
Michael Morse, who made a start in right field the day after signing potential future first base platoon partner for John Jaso in David Freese, roped a leadoff double down the right field line in the top of the second, but none of Jake Goebbert, Chris Stewart, and Max Moroff could drive in Morse. Chris Stewart would pick up hits in his other two at-bats to raise his batting average to .300 this spring.
Eric O’Flaherty managed to work out of trouble after allowing a hit and a walk in his one inning of work, but he consistently worked deep into counts, which indicates he hasn’t completely solved the control issues that plagued him last season. John Holdzkom pitched a perfect inning in which he displayed consistent command and control.
The Pirates currently have 62 active players in camp, but that number is likely to dwindle early this week as the first round of cuts is expected to take place. Pitchers like Curtis Partch and Jorge Rondon may have made their final appearances with the big league club this spring today. Tomorrow, Gerrit Cole will make his spring debut. He’s expected to pitch two innings. No word yet has been made on when Freese will make his 2016 debut, and first as a member of the Pirates, but you can be certain we will have analysis and comments following that game.
As a final note, you, the fans, chose Jeff Locke as your player of the game for today.
Which #Pirates player had the best game today? Don't see your choice? Reply with who surprised you the most.
— Jason Rollison (@jrollisonpgh) March 12, 2016
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